| Country: |
Russian Federation |
| Alternate Name: |
Stingray, RSM-50, R-29R, Volyna |
| Class: |
SLBM |
| Basing: |
Submarine launched |
| Length: |
14.60 m |
| Diameter: |
1.80 m |
| Launch Weight: |
35300 kg |
| Payload: |
7 MIRV warheads |
| Warhead: |
Nuclear 100 kT |
| Propulsion: |
2-stage liquid |
| Range: |
6500 km |
| Status: |
Operational |
| In Service: |
1979 |
Details
Russian Designation: RS-20B
The SS-18 is an intercontinental-range, silo-based, liquid propellant ballistic missile deployed by the Soviet Union. It is the largest of the fourth generation Soviet intercontinental-range missile and the only ‘heavy’ missile allowed under the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT II). A total of four versions are known to exist, though it is believed that the fifth and sixth version may have existed as well. The SS-18 was extremely similar in design to its predecessor, the SS-9.
The SS-18 Mod 3 is an extremely powerful strategic weapon. It carries Multiple Independent Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) warheads, each with a nuclear yield greater than that of many contemporary missiles. It has range such that all major targets within the continental United States could be attacked. The SS-18 Mod 3 sacrifices the significantly more powerful MIRV warheads of the Mod 1 in exchange for the ability to strike an extra two targets. The reported yield and accuracy would provide a fairly low probability of destroying hardened sites. As the SS-18 Mod 3 was replacing missiles primarily designed for counterforce strikes, it would be illogical to upgrade to a weaker system, so it is likely that either the accuracy or the payload of the system was considerably higher than reported. Without the larger payload, the system would still be effective for the destruction of a large number of soft targets, such as military bases, cities, airports, etc. With a larger warhead, the SS-18 Mod 3 would have the ability to devastate any US missiles on the ground during a strike. As it could easily use its MIRV warheads to destroy a number of population centers, the SS-18 Mod 3 is a viable counter-value asset as well.
The SS-18 Mod 3 can deploy its 10 MIRV warheads up to a range of 15,000 km (9,321 miles). Each MIRV warhead has a yield of 500-550 kT, though this could easily be higher. The missile uses an inertial navigation system with digital computer guidance and control which provides a reported, and likely underreported, accuracy of 920 m CEP. This value is reasonable for the time period, but low for a counterforce missile. The missile is a massive 217,000 kg, with a length of 34.3 m and a 3.0 m diameter. It uses a two-stage liquid propellant engine.
The SS-18 entered development in 1969 as a replacement for the SS-9 missile. It was essentially a redesigned, modernized SS-9. The flight tests started in 1973 and the Mod 1 version of the missile was first deployed operationally in 1975 within converted SS-9 missile silos and launch complexes. The SS-18 Mod 2 entered service in 1978, with the Mod 3 entering service in 1980 and 1988 respectively. By 1991, there were 308 SS-18 missiles in silos grouped among six major launch sites.
The first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) required the number of SS-18 missiles to be reduced to 154 by 2003. The requirement of the START I has been fulfilled, as only 145 SS-18 missiles remained in service by the end of 2002. The vast majority of the missiles that remain are Mod 1s. This was accomplished by destroying or converting the missiles into satellite launch vehicles.(1)
Footnotes
- Duncan Lennox, Jane’s Strategic Weapons Systems 46 (Surrey: Jane’s Information Group, January 2007), 152-153.
Russia Launches Two Missiles
November 2, 2004 :: News
While America was electing a president, Russia today tested two ballistic missiles, symbols of its status as a major power capable of threatening the West. The mobile land-based SS-25 (Topol) missile was launched from the Pletesk cosmodrome located some 200 miles northeast of St. Petersburg, and traveled to the missile range on the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula. The SS-N-18 (R-29R) missile was launched from a submarine of the Pacific Fleet, the Project 667BDR (Delta III)-class St. George the Victor, in the Sea of Okhotsk (next to the Kamchatka peninsula). (More »»»)
» Podvig on missile launches
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-25, SS-N-18 Mod 1, SS-N-18 Mod 3
Russia Launches Two Submarine-Based ICBMs
September 8, 2004 :: Interfax :: News
Hours after Russia announced it would conduct preemptive strikes against terrorist bases, Russia’s Northern Fleet today launched two intercontinental ballistic missiles from submarines.
According to Itar Tass, the first missile was launched from the Yekaterinburg, and the second, some two hours later, from the Borisoglebsk, both nuclear-powered Delta-IV class ballistic missile submarines. A Russian defense official is cited as saying that “In both cases the launches were carried out from the waters of the Barents Sea in the sector of the Kura training area on Kamchatka. The dummy warheads hit the targets on the training area.” The Kamchatka peninsular missile range is located on Russia’s far eastern, Pacific coast.
Update: The missile fired from the Yekaterinburg was an R-29M (SS-N-23), that fired from the Borisoglebsk was an R-29R (SS-N-18).
Update: Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov commented on September 20 that both missiles were carrying three independently targetable warheads, all six of which successfully hit their targets. (Article, Link)
» Sep. 8, 2004: Xinhau on SLBM launches
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-N-18 Mod 3, SS-N-23
